[Greg Wilson]

I just bought my first lab puppy 2 days ago. He is 9wks old and 3rd to last pick of an 8 pup litter. We brought him home at 3pm and my family (wife, 4yr old, 2 1/2 year old and self) played with him in the back yard til 6. Lead him out of back yard into garage. He has bed in corner. I worked with him on lease for 5 minutes trying SIT, STAY, COME. He bucked with the lease, was ok with sit, but i couldn't get him to STAY long enough to practice that or COME. Fed and watered him. Left him with chew toys. Placed Arm & Hammer pet training pad well away from food and bed. Set him on it for a second. Left for the night. 6am Entered garage to barking, scared puppy, but when I held out my hand and he smelled it, he was a-ok. He missed the training pad but followed as I scooped poop, placed it on pad, threw it away and replaced pad. Fed and watered him. Put him on pad again. Went back in and showered. 6:20am let him out of garage into back yard. Worked with him 5 minutes with leash. SIT STAY COME. No real progress, seemed anxious to explore yard, lacked focus. Left him in yard to play. I went to work. Wife and kids played with for hour or so in morning. then a couple more time for few minutes here and there. i came home for lunch. we played with puppy. Came in for lunch. Puppy whined at window off and on for half hour. We played somemore (30 minutes) I went back to work. Read on this site only train for 5-10 minutes once a day, so I decided on 2:30 while kids nap. Came home at 2:30 put on leash. Did fair with SIT, still bucked at leash. Couldn't keep him sitted long enough for STAY or COME. Took him off leash, played for 10 more minutes went in. More whimpering and occasional bark at back sliding glass door. Ran errands. Played again with him for 10 minutes. Fed kids inside while more whining at door. 6pm lead around to garage. Fed and watered. Showed potty pad waited 15 minutes to see if pooped to show pad again. No luck. Left small light on. Left for the evening. I know this all may seem mundane, but i want so badly to do the right thing to have a great hunting companion and family pet. I am currently searching for a good dog house for the back yard so I don't have to keep carrying him off to the garage at night. I have a large enclosed back yard, and additionally I have a dog run that's about 75 ft long where i plan to put the dog house. I am so overwhelmed by what I read on all these websites about what has to be done by twelve weeks and how to make it fun and do this but don't do that. I want the dog to like his home. I don't want him whining at the window. Go crazy analyze and tell me all the mistakes I'm making please!

 

[Last Frontier Labs]

Slow down....

you have to remember this little guy is a BABY!!! Usually at this point, I would just be teaching sit and doing a little leash work. This is the time for you to be playing with that pup. Throw fun bumpers and get him excited about retrieving.
I don't have as much experience as most folks on this board, but I'd recommend a little more fun for right now!!!

 

[Jerry]

OK, here goes.
The four year old probably can not do Calculas, the 2 1/2 year old probably is not potty trained. This puppy is a BABY!!

Forget the leash for now and let the puppy play.

Jerry

 

[Shayne Mehringer]

You put a leash on him for the first time and he bucked and resisted. Your kidding?

The error in your ways is that you bought a puppy without doing any kind of research and knowing anything about raising a puppy. That pup is 9 weeks old. Your expecting him to learn sit, stay, here... at 9 weeks old? How long did it take your kids to learn to walk and talk... did you expect them to wipe their own butts the second day you got them home from the hospital?

Here's what you do... quit giving the dog commands, use his name and work on basic house manners. Bring him in from the garage - thats pretty ****ty of you to bring a pup home and stick him in the garage by himself - less than 24 hours away from his littermates. Read all you can, talk to everyone you can talk to and in a week or so... start teaching him sit. A couple weeks after that, work on stay... then here, etc.... It's important to let him be a puppy and develop his social skills. Most important though is to do everything you can for him to be happy and enjoy his new life... it sounds like your off to a very bad start on that portion of it.

Shayne - Thinks you should have to take an IQ and compassion test before buying a puppy.

 

[Guest]

Hey man, Relax..

It's tough because so many sites for training labs are overwhelming - it's mainly pros and they are working dogs to peak performance... You probably should sit back and relax.

Shayne's 100% right about getting the pup in the house. Socialization with people is really important right now. He's had tons of people and other pups with him until now... that's awful lonely. He needs as much time and attention as you can spare. Don't Dr. Spock him and let him cry forever... but also teach him that crying gets nowhere. Here's what I mean. A pup this age remembers things for about 30 seconds. really. after 2 days he should have learned NOTHING. The big thing, and first thing he should be learning is his name. Work on his name a ton - that's important later. His name becomes an attention getter, a praise, or occasionally a condemnation.

Sit back, relax and enjoy the puppy for being a puppy. I call the training here "incidental" where I work on one thing (like sit at dinner - that's really easy, pup sits, then gets dinner. Pup doesn't sit he waits until he sits - takes 3 meals or so) and running away from him when he coming at you so he learns to run hard to get to you. Since the pup can't learn a ton, what you do is set the foundation for later learning. When the pup is about to do something, give the command. Like if he's walking into the kennel, say Kennel! He'll think it's his idea, and he learns faster. Don't correct much at this point, just get him used to being told what to do. Correction comes in a few weeks.

Remember man, this pup needs YOU. He's had all his brothers and sisters taken from him, he was pulled from his momma by a creature 60 times his size, put in a car and introduced to a completely unfamiliar environment. Treat him accordingly - He'll end up a much better dog for it.

Go but 10-Minute Retriever (Amy Dahl's book) and read it cover to cover. I also reccomend Mike Gould's Training the Hunting Retriever, but I seem to be one of the few who do - but I think his philospohies are great for novice trainers to apply. While pup is just pup you need to catch up on some training philosophies and practices. Skip Water Dog - his timeline's all messed up.

Enjoy the pup man!

 

[Greg Wilson]

Water Dog is exactly the book that got me all worked up. I ordered Amy Dahl's book yesterday from Amazon so I should have it tomorrow. If the dog is going to be soley an outdoor dog, are there reprocussions for bringing him in now? and for how long do I bring him in?

 

[KwickLabs]

Yep, what Shayne said. I think you're trying way too hard and what little advice you have has been poor. Your post title says you want someone to point out the errors.......long list. You are not prepared. I think you know this or you wouldn't have posted. Slow down, stop pressing (yourself), and get some advice from someone with real experience. This is supposed to be easy, ralaxed fun for you and the pup.

"NOTS"
1) Garage?
2) "Potty pad"?
3) Three hour play session?
4) Structure?
5) A leash?
6) Commands?
7) Demands?
:?: ) Unrealistic expectations?


"HOTS" 8)
1) Crate training - very important
2) short fun sessions with one person - easy
3) daily walks in open safe areas(grass. shrubs, trees - exploring))
4) simple routines
5) whole family - "It's not a toy." (maintain calmness)
6) read some puppy "slanted" hunting retriever books
7) slow down
8) no pressure & no demands (except for biting, jumping on people, manners)
9) relax, read, listen and get informed

 

[bigjimthunder]

I was the guest up there - sorry, thought i was logged in! Didn't want to be overly anonymous!

 

[Ralpert]

From what you say I can't tell whether or not you're using a crate...it sounds like your pup has the run of the garage. If you aren't get one ASAP. it will help your dog with housebreaking, self confidence, moldling good behavior, not to mention lots of other things. Chris A. has a good article on crate training somewhere.

Ralpert

 

[Anthony Heath]

Crate Taining Article.

You have done a wonderful thing by posting here and quite possibly saved a dog. Read and take heed.

Here is the link to the article that Chris wrote

http://www.retrieVERTRAINING.NET/crate/kennel.htm

Read it
Buy one
Use it
Slow down and Relax
The folks here will help you any way they can, but we all love these dogs and can be harsh at times if others don't seem to have the proper respect for them.

Anthony

 

[Terry]

Even though Shayne came across a little strong he is right, your pup needs to develop social skills and that won't happen with the pup out in the garage. I can't speak for Shayne, but I believe he came across strong because he cares more about your pup's welfare than hurting your feelings. Don't be driven off the forum by frank opinions.

The first couple of months I crate our pups right next to my recliner. My first goal is to establish a strong bond between me and my pup, which is easy to do if you keep the pup with your family. At bed time we go for a walk with the pup on a leash, then the crate is moved to the bedroom at night for the first few weeks so that I can respond when their small bladders require attention. It used to be a pain in the ass to get up in the night, but now my aging bladder has about the same carrying capacity as that of a 10 week old pup.

 

[Greg Wilson]

Terry, thank you, but Shayne did not hurt my feelings. I am asking for and really want honest straight forward information. It is so important to me to do the right thing and raise this puppy the best I possibly can. I have been duck hunting for 20 years and it is my passion. I bought a puppy to be my hunting companion as well as be a family pet. My sources of information have been the breeder (who only has outdoor dogs), Water Dog (which I have now been told to ignore), and the internet which has vast and conflicting information. This sight seems to have the most knowledgable trainers and that is why I am posting here. I am getting the feeling from most, however, that it is unacceptable to have an "outside" dog. Thoughts?

 

[Shayne Mehringer]

How can you hunt 20 years without a dog??? Ask Chad (OKDuckhunter) what hunting without a dog is like...

My personal opinion is that if you treat a dog like a dog, he will act like a dog. Some people want that... for me, my dogs are part of the family and i want them to act like part of the family. They know their role and recognize my authority.

Pros and other competitors who train daily leave their dogs in kennel runs and thats fine. A pure working dog needs kennel time and face it, you can't keep 10+ dogs in the house. Those dogs serve their purpose and get plenty of attention - everyday. For a hunting dog, he's not going to get much attention except during the hunting season. Poor guy.

Put your dog outside if you wish (not now, in a couple months) but he would be much happier in the house as part of the family... and so would your family, it just takes getting used to. It would be very weird for me to walk in a house and not be greeted at the door. I promise it will change your life.

I was actually holding back in my first post to you... hopefully it opened your eyes a bit.

Shayne

 

[bigjimthunder]

Greg - the argument about inside or outside rages - I like my dog as an inside dog. She sleeps next to my bed, and hangs out in my office when I don't have her in the yard - some nights she sleeps outside, and some days she spends most of the day out there. That's the choice I made.

The main argument I hear (besides the logistical ones Shayne mentioned) are that an inside dog won't have a good coat. I think that's BS, if you are leaving your dog outside for at least part of the day. And in Paris, it ain't that cold! That argument is much sounder up north. If you choose to have your dog outside, great - that's just fine. But I think you'll love and appreciate your dog more as an inside dog.

Basically, you need to decide what kind of dog you want - a retriever or a hunting partner. The more time you spend with the dog, the more the dog will want to please you and perform for you. The finest hunting dogs i know sleep under down comforters at several friends houses.

 

[Andr? Fendlason]

Lesson #1 is...

Lesson #1 is...

Nothing more than clipping the leash on the collar and letting pup run around and play with it dragging behind him.

Why is this lesson #1? Because it is obvious this was not done earlier when the pup was still with the litter.

Everything else you did was not needed or ever desirable.

Andr

 

[tom]

QuickLabs gave you a pretty good list.

I'm one of those guys with a dozen dogs, and only a 1500sq/ft house :microwave: So I also have a 1000sq/ft kennel building. But still, when I bring a puppy home it stays in the house. Is crate trained in the house. This is the all to short a period of a dogs life that it's personality will be formed for life, and it needs to learn who is the leader of the pack, but it also needs to learn that it is a MEMBER of the pac.
tom

 

[RETREVR]

At that age the pup will have to go out Every Hour and after eating and drinking. Read everything you can on Crate Training. Forget about the Garage. The crate can help you house train. If you must have an outside dog, it can wait. If you still want an outside dog, do it right and build a nice kennel run with a nice dog house. A pup, or even a dog will have a hell of a time keeping warm in a garage. They need a smaller containment that they can keep warm. A kennel dog has to get out Every Day. Take a dog that lives in isolation and take him on a hunt....He will be so dammed excited to see new people and new dogs that he will care less about birds.
Socialization is a priority...read about it. The dog must be allowed to interact with other dogs and people (after he has his shots).
My other recomendation is to lengthen your reading list and shorten your questions...This will happen automatically. Get a program and ask questions not addressed in the book.
Play, play, and more play.
Everybody slams water dog but I think it is still worth reading. There are more advanced methods out there.
There are a lot of tallented trainers here (I'm not one of them). They will help you with any questions. However, get the basics from the books and ask questions when you run into trouble.

 

[Keith]

Water Dog

Water Dog is OK. Game Dog (by same dead author) is even better.

BUT FORGET THE FAST TIMETABLE, go at the sppe the pup masters stuff.

Amy's 10 min Retriever is getting rave reviews.

 

[Greg Wilson]

I want to thank everyone again for their comments. I'm not a bad or cruel guy, that's why I'm here trying to get more information.

 

[Gun_Dog2002]

So, how did this dog turn out?

/Paul